F. Hoy, Beswick Professor of Entrepreneurship; Director, Collaborative for Entrepreneurship and Innovation; Ph.D., Texas A&M University; entrepreneurship, family and small business management, strategy, international entrepreneurship.

Department Research

In addition to teaching, School of Business faculty are involved in a variety of sponsored research and consulting work. A sampling of current research includes: quality control in information-handling processes, supply chain management, management of biotechnology, decision/ risk analysis, conflict management, Latin American economic development, capacity planning, international accounting differences, strategy and new venture teams, and family and small business management.

The Collaborative for Entrepreneurship and Innovation

The Collaborative for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) is a program of the School of Business, designed to inspire and nurture people to discover, create and commercialize new technology-based products, services and organizations. It coordinates all entrepreneurship-related activity at WPI, including graduate and undergraduate courses; the CEI@WPI ALLOUT $50K Business Plan Challenge; the WPI Venture Forum workshops, monthly lecture and case presentation programs, radio show and newsletter; networking; a student-run entrepreneurs organization; the New England Collegiate Entrepreneurs Award; Web site administration of the Coalition for Venture Support; and, on a periodic basis, the CEI will offer conferences, workshops and seminars on topics of interest to entrepreneurs. Programs for high school outreach, social entrepreneurship, internship opportunities, business incubation, various awards, an Entrepreneurship Fair and a Consortium-wide business plan contest are in the planning stage. Please call +1-508-831-5075 or 5218 for more information.

Programs of Study

The interaction between business and technology drives every aspect of our Graduate Business Programs. We believe the future of business lies in leveraging the power of technology to optimize business opportunities. WPI stays ahead of the curve, giving students the ability to combine sound strategies with cutting edge innovation, and the confidence to contribute meaningfully within a global competitive environment. The superior record of our graduates’ successes highlight why WPI enjoys a nationally-recognized reputation as one of the most respected names in technology-based business education.

WPI offers a variety of graduate business programs focusing on the integration of business and technology. The Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a highly integrated, applications-oriented program that provides students with both the ‘big picture’ perspective required of successful upper-level managers and the handson knowledge needed to meet the daily demands in the workplace. WPI’s focus on the management of technology comes from the recognition that rapidly changing technology is driving the pace of business.

Students enjoy extensive opportunities to expand their networks through associations with their peers and leading hightech organizations. They also benefit from the latest available technologies and one of the nation’s most wired universities. The program’s strong emphasis on interpersonal and communications skills prepares students to be leaders in any organization, and the global threads throughout the curriculum ensure that students understand the global imperative facing all businesses. Whether dealing with information technology, biotechnology, financial markets, information security, supply chain management, manufacturing, or a host of other technology-oriented industries, the real world is part of the classroom, and students explore up-to-the-minute challenges faced by actual companies, through hands-on projects and teamwork. WPI promotes an active learning process, designed to develop the very best managers, leaders and executives in a technologydependent world.

Graduate Certificates

Graduate business certificates are designed for technical and business professionals seeking focused, in-depth knowledge within a specific area of technology management. Certificates include: Information Security Management; Information Technology; Management of Technology; and Technology Marketing, and range in length from 5-6 courses. Students may also customize their own graduate business certificate program. For more information please see http://business.wpi. edu/+certificates.

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

WPI’s MBA program features a set of ten core courses, designed to develop the skills managers need to develop business opportunities, analyze and improve business performance, and become leaders. In addition, the program includes two integrating project experiences: BUS 501 a course that challenges students to use the skills developed in the required core courses to make business decisions; and BUS 517 - the Capstone Graduate Qualifying project.

The following 7 required courses, should be completed before BUS 501:

BUS 500 Business Law, Ethics and Social Responsibility

FIN 500 Financial Information and Management

FIN 501 Economics for Managers

MIS 500 Innovating with Information Systems

MKT 500 Understanding Customers and Creating Value

OBC 500 Group and Interpersonal Dynamics in Complex Organizations

OIE 500 Analyzing and Designing Operations to Create Value

To complete the core requirements, students must also take the following 3 courses:

ACC 503 Financial Intelligence for Strategic Decision-Making

ETR 500 Entrepreneurship and Innovation

OBC 501 Interpersonal and Leadership Skills

The MBA program culminates with a capstone Graduate Qualifying Project (BUS 517) which provides students with a hands-on, real-world opportunity to apply and enhance their classroom experience.

In addition to credit-bearing courses, noncredit modules are available to provide background in areas such as statistics and presentation skills, which students can access as-needed throughout the curriculum.

MBA Options

Students may pursue the WPI MBA by a variety of paths to best suit their individual needs. In addition to being able to complete the MBA on a full- or part-time basis on our Worcester Campus, students may complete the entire program via a blended format that mixes online learning with on-campus face-to-face meetings every 7 weeks (3 per course). Students may also join one of WPI’s MBA Cohorts, which launch each May and January, where students complete the MBA in 32 months with a defined group of their peers. For more information on MBA options, please see business.wpi.edu/+mba.

M.S. in Information Technology (MSIT)

The demand for knowledgeable IT professionals who understand business has never been greater. The MSIT program guarantees a solid foundation in information technology, with a wide range of cuttingedge concentrations, and the management principles critical to success in a technology- driven environment.

MSIT students must complete the following 5 required courses:

MIS 500 Innovating with Information Systems

MIS 571 Database Applications Development

MIS 573 Systems Design and Development

MIS 578 Telecommunications Management

OBC 500 Group and Interpersonal Dynamics in Complex Organizations

MSIT students then must complete electives, distributed as follows:

Choose 1 of the following:

FIN 500 Financial Information and Management

OBC 501 Interpersonal and Leadership Skills

Choose 4 of the following:

MIS 574 Enterprise Systems

MIS 576 Project Management

MIS 579 E-Business Applications

MIS 581 Information Technology Policy and Strategy

MIS 582 Information Security Management

Two free electives, which may include courses outside of business and a maximum of 3 credits of internship.

M.S. in Management (MSMGM)

The MSMGM offers students the flexibility to tailor a course of study to their interests and career objectives. If you seek a focused program, improving your business skills while excelling in technology-based organizations, the MSMGM is right for you. An alternative track provides a compelling pathway to an MBA that recognizes the value of work experience. Upon receiving your MSMGM from WPI, and after a minimum of 2 years of work experience and within 6 years of completing your MSMGM, you may apply to complete the requirements for a WPI MBA — just 7 additional courses, including the hallmark project experience of WPI.

MSMGM students complete 4 of the following principal courses. Students should consult with the director of business programs to identify the most appropriate courses based on their career and academic objectives.

ACC 503 Financial Intelligence for Strategic Decision Making

BUS 500 Business Law, Ethics, and Social Responsibility

ETR 500 Entrepreneurship and Innovation

FIN 500 Financial Information and Management

FIN 501 Economics for Managers

MIS 500 Innovating with Information Systems

MKT 500 Understanding Customers and Creating Value

OBC 500 Group and Interpersonal Dynamics in Complex Organizations

OBC 501 Interpersonal and Leadership Skills

OIE 500 Analyzing and Designing Operations to Create Value

Students then select 5 electives, 3 of which must be from the School of Business.

Students cap off the MSMGM with a highly integrative project:

BUS 501 Integrating Business Concepts to Lead Innovation

M.S. in Marketing and Technological Innovation (MSMTI)

A highly specialized program specifically designed for individuals employed in or aspiring to work in marketing positions and/or positions responsible for innovation within technology- oriented environments. The M.S. in marketing and technological innovation features 6 required courses including:

ETR 500 Entrepreneurship and Innovation

FIN 500 Financial Information and Management

FIN 501 Economics for Managers

MKT 500 Understanding Customers and Creating Value

OBC 500 Group and Interpersonal Dynamics in Complex Organizations

OBC 501 Interpersonal and Leadership Skills

Students then select 6 electives from the following courses:

BUS 597 Internship

ETR 593 Technology Commercialization: Theory, Strategy and Practice

ETR 594 Technology Commercialization: Project

ETR 596 Selling and Sales

MIS 576 Project Management

MIS 578 Telecommunications Management

MIS 579 E-Business Applications

MKT 563 Marketing of Emerging Technologies

MKT 564 Global Technology Marketing

MKT 566 Marketing and Electronic Commerce

MKT 567 Integrated Marketing Communications

MKT 568 Data Mining Business Applications

OBC 533 Negotiations

OBC 535 Managing Creativity in Knowledge Intensive Organizations

OBC 536 Organizational Design

OBC 537 Leading Change

OIE 546 Managing Technological Innovation

OIE 548 Productivity Management

M.S. in Operations Design and Leadership (MSODL)

Today’s business environments deal constantly with changes requiring leadership for operational solutions. The MSODL is a comprehensive Operations Management program that provides balance between service and production management, and offers the option to concentrate in either Supply Chain Management or Process Design, or to customize the degree with a broad selection of electives focusing indepth on issues in operations management and related business areas.

MSODL students complete the following required courses:

OBC 500 Group and Interpersonal Dynamics in Complex Organizations

OIE 500 Analyzing and Designing Operations to Create Value

OIE 552 Modeling and Optimizing Processes

Choose 1:

MIS 500 Innovating with Information Systems

OBC 501 Interpersonal and Leadership Skills

Students then select 8 electives from the list below, or choose one of two concentration tracks, Supply Chain Management or Process Design:

BUS 597 Internship

MIS 571 Database Applications Development

MIS 573 System Design and Development

MIS 574 Enterprise Systems

MIS 576 Project Management

MIS 581 Information Technology Policy and Strategy

OBC 533 Negotiations

OBC 536 Organizational Design

OBC 537 Leading Change

OIE 541 Operations Risk Management

OIE 544 Supply Chain Analysis and Design

OIE 546 Managing Technological Innovation

OIE 548 Productivity Management

OIE 553 Global Purchasing and Logistics

OIE 554 Global Operations Strategy

OIE 555 Lean Process Design

OIE 557 Service Operations Management

OIE 558 Designing and Managing Six-Sigma Processes

Supply Chain Management Track:

OIE 541 Operations Risk Management

OIE 544 Supply Chain Analysis and Design

OIE 553 Global Purchasing and Logistics

OIE 555 Lean Process Design

Plus 4 elective courses from the approved list

Process Design Track:

OIE 541 Operations Risk Management

OIE 555 Lean Process Design

OIE 557 Service Operations Management

OIE 558 Designing and Managing Six-Sigma Processes

Plus 4 elective courses (12 credit hours) from the approved list

Combined B.S./M.S. (M.B.A.) Program

This program is available to WPI undergraduate students wishing to combine one of the School of Business’ four M.S. degrees with their B.S. A separate and complete application to the M.S. program must be submitted. Admission to the Combined Program is determined by the faculty of the School of Business. The student should begin the curriculum planning process at the time he/she commences his/her undergraduate studies to ensure that all of the required prerequisite undergraduate courses are completed within the student’s four years of undergraduate study.

It is recommended that the M.S. application be submitted at the beginning of the student’s junior year of undergraduate study. A student in the Combined Program continues to be registered as an undergraduate until the bachelor’s degree is awarded.

To obtain a bachelor’s degree via the Combined Program, the student must satisfy all requirements for the bachelor’s degree, including distribution and project requirements.

To obtain an M.S. via the Combined Program, the student must satisfy all M.S. degree requirements.

Please refer to the section on the Combined Programs or contact the director of business programs for more information.

Admission Requirements

Admission to WPI’s Graduate Business Programs is competitive. Admission is granted to applicants whose academic and professional records indicate the likelihood of success in a challenging academic program, and whose career aspirations are in line with the focus of the specific degree program to which they are applying.

Applicants should have the analytic aptitude and academic preparation necessary to complete a technology-oriented business program. This includes a minimum of three semesters of college level math or two semesters of college level calculus. Applicants are also required to have an understanding of computer systems.

Applicants must have the earned equivalent of a four-year U.S. bachelor’s degree to be considered for admission. Admission decisions are based upon all the information required from the applicant. GMAT or GRE required for all applicants.

Locations

Tailored to meet the challenges of working professionals, WPI offers full and part-time graduate business study at our campus in Worcester, Massachusetts, as well as world-wide via our Blended courses.